The present invention relates to slab cutters. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hydraulically controlled apparatus that can be mounted onto a skid-steer loader for cutting paved surfaces.
Paved surfaces such as streets, curbs, sidewalks, and driveways generally must be made from highly durable materials that are able to withstand heavy and frequent traffic. Materials such as concrete, asphalt, masonry, and stonework are well-suited for such applications because of their relatively high hardness. For a variety of reasons, it is often necessary to cut these materials after they have been set into place. In such situations, the relative hardness of the materials from which the surfaces are made and other factors can significantly increase the difficulty of effecting cuts.
A common situation in which a surface requires cutting is when concrete has been poured and begins to cure. As concrete cures, it typically contracts approximately one-sixteenth of an inch for every ten feet of concrete poured. This contraction can cause irregular cracking that will diminish the performance, longevity, and aesthetic appeal of the surface. When concrete is used in forming relatively large slabs, such as sidewalks or streets, cracking is a virtual certainty.
The cracking that occurs once concrete is poured can, however, be controlled by cutting grooves, or control joints, into the concrete at regular or semi-regular intervals before the concrete completely cures. Generally, these control joints act as pre-weakened stress points that encourage the concrete to crack along the control joints during the curing process. As a result, cracking that occurs can be contained to grooves of regularly spaced control joints.
Concrete, as well as other materials used to form paved surfaces, may also require cutting for other purposes. Road repair, for example, often requires discrete segments or areas of a paved surface to be removed or replaced. Similarly, utilities buried under roadways typically cannot be repaired or replaced unless portions of the roadway are first removed. In other instances, demolition, construction, or reconfiguration of paved surfaces such as parking lots, patios, streets, and sidewalks require that portions or segments of these surfaces be removed.